CPI Corp. goes out of business

ST. LOUIS (KSDK) - A local photography company has abruptly shut its doors.

CPI Corp. was a photography studio based in St. Louis that offered photography services to Sears and Walmart stores.

On Thursday the company's website posted a statement saying they are trying to fill as many customer orders as they can.

"If you've had a recent session, your portraits may be available at your Sears, PictureMe or Kiddie Kandids portrait studio," the statement said.

"They weren't going to tell us, we were going to come into work and at 10 o'clock this morning when our studios all open and not be able to clock in," said Jennifer McDowell a now former studio manager of PictureMe Portrait studio located inside the St. Charles Walmart.

She says it was her boss who found out about the closings late Wednesday night. The company denied the closings then two hours later sent out an email, admitting, yes they were closing down all U.S. stores.

McDowell is of course worried about her paycheck that is still supposed to come Friday, but she's also worried about her clients.

"The company says Walmart would distribute them but we just found out Lebanon's Walmart manager said he's not going to do it," she said.

And really McDowell says it's not up to Walmart, they have nothing to do with their company.

So, McDowell and a few others are taking it upon themselves to help get their clients pictures to them.

"Distributing them from our cars, we are going to try to be at the PetSmart from probably 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday," she said.

Meanwhile at the CPI's headquarters, some of the employees admitting yes, they are cleaning out their desks.

Calls to the office went unanswered, but their website, suggests if customers have questions to contact customer service at their local store.